The first earthquake in Lake County in 2026 was reported late Monday night in Madison, a common area for local earthquakes in Lake County.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the 2.6 magnitude earthquake happened at 11:50 p.m. at a depth of 5.10 miles, around 1.24 miles east-northeast of Madison.
The area is no stranger to minor earthquakes. A 2.3 magnitude earthquake happened near the same area on June 19, 2025.
CLICK HERE to see an interactive map of the area where the earthquake occurred.
Monday's earthquake happened in the Northeast Ohio seismic zone, which has had "moderately frequent" earthquakes since they were first reported in 1823, according to the United States Geological Survey. Faults near our area that formed a billion years ago cause an increase in seismic activity.
Most earthquakes detected near Lake Erie are in the 1-2 scale range. A magnitude 2.5 earthquake can be felt by people in the area.
According to the USGS, the highest magnitude earthquake in the area happened in 1986 and was 4.8 in magnitude. The more recent damaging earthquake in the area happened in 1998 and was a 4.5.
In 2022, News 5 spoke with Case Western Reserve University Professor Steven Hauck about the numerous quakes that happened that year in Lake County:
Watch:
